The Ploi Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Ploi in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Ploi
The Insider’s Guide
Server and site management panel for PHP and Laravel apps
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among web hosts, read from Ploi’s own pages.
Made by Ploi · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Ploi’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Ploi’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 31 of the 54 other web hosts we grade
Ploi is a panel for provisioning and running your own servers, with site management, deployments, databases, firewall, queues and cron jobs in one dashboard. It detects Laravel apps and also handles WordPress sites, on servers at providers such as DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Vultr and AWS EC2. Pricing is flat per month by server count, and server fees are not included.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Ploi, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You connect a provider and set up servers and sites.
- 1
Best for managing PHP and Laravel servers
Ploi manages servers and sites for PHP and Laravel apps, with a free plan for one server and one site.
- 2
Paid plans start at $10 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $10 per month (Basic, up to 5 servers).
- 3
There is a free plan
1 server, 1 site and 5 deployments per month.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Server installation
Servers are provisioned with NGINX, PHP and Redis/Valkey by default, on providers including DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Vultr and AWS EC2.
- 6
Laravel-aware site management
The panel detects Laravel apps, and also lists WordPress support, deployments, queues, cron jobs and multiple PHP versions.
- 7
Load balancing and status pages
Traffic can be spread over several servers, and custom status pages keep customers informed.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 31 of 54
That is against the other web hosts we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Your call
Ploi sits between: not beyond making, and not a weekend's work either.
Ploi at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $10 per month (Basic, up to 5 servers)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 5-day trial of the Pro plan, no credit card required; it then drops to the free plan.
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Ploi
- Category
- Web Hosting
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for managing PHP and Laravel servers
Ploi manages servers and sites for PHP and Laravel apps, with a free plan for one server and one site. The free plan is 5 deployments a month, servers are billed separately, and there is no 24/7 support.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Basic is $10 a month for 5 servers, Pro $16 and Unlimited $36, with server costs paid to your provider. Prices are set in euros and converted. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free for 1 server, 1 site and 5 deployments a month, plus a 5-day Pro trial with no card. 5 deployments is a cap you'll hit. |
| Features | C | Provisioning, Laravel-aware sites, queues, cron jobs, load balancing, an API and an MCP server. It does the server-panel job fully, but that's a smaller job than hosting. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You connect a provider and set up servers and sites. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, with a mobile app listed, plus DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Vultr and AWS EC2. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Ploi is for
- Fits if you run Laravel or PHP apps on your own servers
- Works for freelancers who need one free server and site
Who it is not for
- Tight if you stay free: 1 server, 1 site and 5 deployments a month
- Watch out: servers are billed separately
- Not for you if you need 24/7 support, as the FAQ says there isn't any
- Watch out: euro prices are converted to dollars at a rate that can move
Good to know
Good for
- Laravel and PHP developers running their own servers
- Freelancers who need a single free server and site
- Small teams that want flat pricing per server count
Worth knowing
- Ploi does not include server fees; you pay your server provider separately.
- The pricing page prices in euros and shows dollar figures converted at an exchange rate that can vary.
- There is no 24/7 support, according to the pricing page FAQ.
- Team management, backups, monitoring and other features are listed by plan in a comparison table; the free plan stops at 1 server and 5 deployments a month.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$10
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Ploi has a free plan. Paid plans start at $10 per month (Basic, up to 5 servers).
Free
$0
Up to 1 server and 1 site, with 5 deployments a month.
Basic
$10
per month, billed monthly
Up to 5 servers, unlimited sites and deployments, and 60 API requests a minute.
Pro
$16
per month, billed monthly
Up to 10 servers, unlimited sites and deployments, and 120 API requests a minute.
Unlimited
$36
per month, billed monthly
Unlimited servers and sites, and 240 API requests a minute.
The free plan
1 server, 1 site and 5 deployments per month.
Trying it first
5-day trial of the Pro plan, no credit card required; it then drops to the free plan.
Read from ploi.io on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
10% off with yearly billing
The pricing page says yearly pricing saves 10%: Basic is $108 a year, Pro $172.80 and Unlimited $388.80 in dollars as displayed.
Stated on ploi.ioEducation
Student discount
The FAQ says Ploi offers student discounts and points to a requirements page.
Stated on ploi.io
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Server and site management panel for PHP and Laravel apps. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features.
Provisioning, Laravel-aware sites, queues, cron jobs, load balancing, an API and an MCP server.
- Server installation
- Servers are provisioned with NGINX, PHP and Redis/Valkey by default, on providers including DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Vultr and AWS EC2.
- Laravel-aware site management
- The panel detects Laravel apps, and also lists WordPress support, deployments, queues, cron jobs and multiple PHP versions.
- Load balancing and status pages
- Traffic can be spread over several servers, and custom status pages keep customers informed.
- Teams and access
- Servers can be shared with co-workers, and the pricing table lists team management, domain aliases and tenants.
- API and MCP server
- An API and an MCP server let AI assistants such as Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor manage servers.
- Mobile app
- The features menu lists an app for managing sites and servers on the go.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- DigitalOcean
- Hetzner
- Vultr
- AWS EC2
- Laravel
- WordPress
Ploi is made by Ploi.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
31/54
Other web hosts it is graded above
Ploi's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 31 of the 54 other web hosts we grade, and level with 13.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 24 of 54) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $10 a month, against a middle price of $9 for the category: 28 of the 52 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 3 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 55 web hosts we grade, cut by the letter each got. Ploi’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 5 of 54
- CFree plan and trialAbove 42 of 54
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 54
- CEase of useAbove 9 of 54
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 24 of 54
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 53 web hosts. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Ploi is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Your call
Ploi sits between: not beyond making, and not a weekend's work either.
What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. It costs $120 a year.
What you could make
- It runs in a browser, which is where something home-made would run too.
What you could not
- It plugs into other products, DigitalOcean, Hetzner and Vultr among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
What this rests on. Ploi’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Laravel Forge, RunCloud, SpinupWP, GridPane and Cloudways
The 5 tools Ploi is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 1.8GPA
Laravel Forge
From $12/mo
Server management and deploys for Laravel, PHP and Node apps.
- Ploi has a free plan. Laravel Forge does not.
- Laravel Forge also covers workflow automation.
- 2.0GPA
RunCloud
Free trial · from $9/mo
Web server control panel for PHP sites on your own cloud servers.
- Ploi has a free plan. RunCloud does not, though it has a free trial.
- RunCloud also covers page speed.
- 2.2GPA
SpinupWP
Free trial · from $12/mo
WordPress server management for servers you rent yourself.
- Ploi has a free plan. SpinupWP does not, though it has a free trial.
- SpinupWP also covers page speed.
- 2.4GPA
GridPane
Free plan · from $19/mo
WordPress server control panel with a free core plan.
- GridPane also covers managed WordPress and page speed.
- 2.2GPA
Cloudways
Free trial · from $11/mo
Managed cloud hosting on DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS or Google.
- Ploi has a free plan. Cloudways does not, though it has a free trial.
- Cloudways also covers malware protection.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
16
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Ploi free?
Ploi has a free plan. 1 server, 1 site and 5 deployments per month.
How much does Ploi cost?
Ploi lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Ploi work on?
Ploi is available on Web.
Does Ploi offer any discounts?
Ploi publicly lists the following: 10% off with yearly billing; Student discount.
Does Ploi have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Ploi is listed for Web.
Does Ploi have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Ploi is listed for Web.
Is Ploi open source?
Ploi is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Does Ploi have an API?
Yes. Ploi offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Ploi integrate with?
Ploi's listing names DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Vultr, AWS EC2, Laravel and WordPress.
Does Ploi have a student discount?
Student discount. The FAQ says Ploi offers student discounts and points to a requirements page.
Does Ploi have a free trial?
Yes. 5-day trial of the Pro plan, no credit card required; it then drops to the free plan.
Who makes Ploi?
Ploi is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Ploi?
The closest alternatives to Ploi in our directory are Laravel Forge, RunCloud, SpinupWP, GridPane and Cloudways.
How does Ploi compare with other web hosts?
Ploi's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 31 of the 54 other web hosts we grade, and level with 13.
Is Ploi good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Ploi C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $10 a month, against a middle price of $9 for the category: 28 of the 52 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Ploi?
Ploi sits between: not beyond making, and not a weekend's work either.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Ploi’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Ploi's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Ploi. Prices change, so check ploi.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Ploi, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/ploi
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Ploi: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/ploi
Know someone choosing between web hosts?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/ploi/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
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Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Ploi’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Ploi is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Ploi. Prices and plans change: check ploi.io before you buy.